Joyce
Wilson was born on the 29 August 1988 at Hawera, the eldest daughter of Walter
and Mary Emma Wilson nee Hobbs. The family first lived on a farm on the
Turuturu Road, Tawhiti and then later moved to a farm on Palmer Road, where
Joyce attended the Mangatoki School.In
1929, Joyce's mother wrote a small book called Hawera, Fifty Years Ago about
her memories of life in the town.

Joyce used to ride a pony to school and one day tried
to jump the pony over a calf lying on the road. The calf got up and she was
thrown off and cut her forehead on a stone, carrying the scar for the rest of
her life.

After her father died of typhoid at the age of 42,
the family of four children went to live in Eltham.Joyce went to Chetwood private school in New
Plymouth and while there she began singing in the St Mary's Anglican Church
choir.

A keen tennis player, she met John Alfred Duffill on
the court in Eltham, when he had come up from Wellington to supervise a
building for Arthur Pease.John Duffill
was an architect and set up practice in Eltham in 1905, moving to Hawera in
1910.He designed between 50 - 60 dairy
factories in South Taranaki.John and
Joyce were married in October 1912 at Eltham, and came to live in Hawera.

Joyce was a foundation member of the Hawera Women's
Club but resigned when she had her family.She rejoined later and was a member of the music circle under Queenie
Graham.Music meant a lot to Joyce
and she had many musical evenings in her home.She was a long-time member of St Mary's Anglican choir and played the
organ on occasions such as weddings and funerals.She also sang in duets and quartets with her
sister Alison in the Hawera Competitions, and also taught Sunday School.